One of the most frequently asked questions that I get is ‘what is the best way to consume marijuana.’ With so many people smoking for the first time due to medical reasons, or getting back on the wagon after a couple of decades off, or whatever the reason, it seems like I get asked this question at least once a day. The truth is, there isn’t a correct answer to this question; it’s a matter of personal preference.

There are so many ways to consume marijuana, that it is rarely the same from one person to the next. The best way to figure out what is best for yourself is to determine what your goal is. Are you trying to get a light head change, or are you trying to get totally blasted, or somewhere in between? How you are trying to feel will largely determine the method you end up liking the most.

Also, availability will be a big factor as well. For instance if you live in Idaho like my cousins, and you don’t even know what a headshop looks like, chances are you are just going to go Macgyver no matter what. In this article I will discuss my personal opinion on various methods, but as always, this is not the only opinion out there, and certainly doesn’t list every method of consumption. If you have a different opinion, or have a different method of consumption, please leave it in the comments section so that others can benefit from your expertise.

The most common way that people consume the first time (or first time back) seems to be the joint. A three foot double perk is very intimidating, but a doobie seems like not as much of a big deal I suppose. The joint is highly versatile (you can smoke it anywhere that smell is not a factor) and it certainly gets you high. Plus, they are fun to smoke; who doesn’t like holding fire in their hand? The big downfall to the joint though, as I alluded to above, is the smell. Joints wreak, so smoking them anywhere and everywhere is not always possible. Plus you have to re-up on papers from time to time, which is not as awesome as having a piece that is re-usable.

The pipe is a logical next step to this discussion, since it is probably the second most common form of consumption. A pipe is easy to carry around, cheap if you know the right places to purchase one, and are good for the ‘pass-around group’ settings. The bowls burn longer than in pieces that use water. The big problem I have with pipes is that they don’t get me high enough. If I smoke several bowls I get high, but there is only so much smoke that fills into the chamber of the pipe at any given time, so taking my finger off the carb doesn’t give as big of hits as a bong. However, I smoke all day everyday, so my end goal is probably different than others reading this article. If you don’t smoke like a broken chimney, a pipe is a great way to go.

A bubbler is a great in-between for those that have been smoking off the pipe but are not ready for the bong. A bubbler is basically just a fancy pipe with water filtration capabilities. I have hit off of some amazing bubblers in my day. The ‘sherlock’ bubbler style is my personal favorite. I don’t know the physics of the situation, but it just seems like sherlock bubblers create the ultimate wind tunnel in the chamber of the bubbler when the carb is released. Most bubblers are smaller than bongs, so they are easier to pack around, yet offer bigger hitting than a pipe.

The bong is fantastic. I vividly remember my first bong hit. It didn’t go well, but it started a love affair that continues to this day. Bongs require a knowledge of one’s lung capacity, so that the bong operator will know when to time pulling the carb or taking their finger off of the carb hole. If you don’t time it right, you will either take in too much smoke or leave too much smoke in the bong. The first can be quite painful, while the latter is not too big of a deal other than wasted smoke is just sad! A bong is harder to pack around, but it always does the trick. I don’t like bongs that are too big, or too small. A one to two foot bong is perfect for my lung capacity; others will obviously vary. A bong purchase is a fantastic investment to those out there that are debating whether or not to make the jump.

A blunt could have followed the joint, since it’s basically a joint in a cigar wrap, but I figured I would do it after the more common methods. A blunt is not nearly as easy to roll as a joint, and a lot of people I know don’t like tobacco mixing with their weed so they don’t do it. I love blunts myself, even though I will admit that I’m not the biggest fan of tobacco. A blunt burns longer than a joint, you can roll enormous blunts that can hold several grams, and flavored blunt wraps are fantastic. I have smoked a lot of flavored paper joints, but they don’t seem to pack as much flavor as a fruity blunt wrap. The same downfall that plagues the joint also plagues the blunt. Also, logically, a bigger blunt will make a bigger smell, so be aware of that.

Knife hits are like the marijuana equivalent of beer bonging. It’s fast and furious, and reminds me of college. The obvious benefit of the knife hit is you get annihilated, the downfall is you can hyperventilate and pass out in your kitchen (I’ve seen it too many times). Also, it takes quite a bit of prep, and your knives will never be the same! But if you are trying to go from zero to hero, knife hits are a great way to go.

Gravity hits are another great way to forget what you were doing for awhile. It’s kind of tough sometimes if you don’t have the technique down, but if you can relax the wrist and get solid suction (insert inappropriate comments here), you can get some of the biggest hits of your life. You have to be able to make a solid cap, which can be kinda tough for some people, but at least once you make it you have it forever. The downfall is a possible mouth full of water, and the smoke doesn’t filter through the water, it just sits on top (this can be fixed by making a ‘percaliter,’ but that takes the ultimate macgyver).

A waterfall/aqualung/vortex/liter, or whatever you call it (see picture) probably gets me the highest out of any of the smoking methods. It takes the least amount of weed, gets me high the fastest, and is very easy to transport. As long as you have a water source and the cap, transporting the bottle just looks like a used bottle. I’ve gotten ripped of this thing in minutes at sporting events, camping, you name it. Fast and effective. One downfall is it can also cause you to hyperventilate. I have seen more people knocked out by this device than I have ever seen in years of watching MMA. Also, I can’t imagine using an industrially made plastic bottle to smoke out of is a good thing…

Vaporizers are considered by many as the best way to consume marijuana. From the literature that I’ve read, vaporizers can eliminate up to 95% of carcinogens from the plant material. Also, the taste is very distinct with a vaporizer. A big downfall to vaporizers can be the price (especially with a Volcano) and availability, but if you can get your hands on one, I promise you will not be disappointed. The high from a vaporizer is so thorough, and so pure, that you might never consume marijuana in any other way again.

Topical solutions are a not-to-common way of consumption. The downfall is it doesn’t get your brain high since it is just basically a skin ointment, but if you are looking for medical relief, topical solutions are a stellar route to go. People get so caught up with smoking and eating marijuana that they forget the benefits of making ointments, oils, and lotions. Marijuana is truly a wonder plant, and I know many people that live and die by their topical solutions.

Another fantastic method is tinctures. I don’t know about other areas, but in Oregon, tinctures reign supreme with the older crowd. I know so many people over the age of 40 that only use tinctures because they like the high it puts off, they can take it anywhere since it isn’t smoked, and it is much healthier since it doesn’t involve breathing in burnt plant material. I’m not the biggest fan of tinctures just because it takes so long to make it (although not much effort I’ll admit). However, when someone has some, I always ask for a droppers worth, so perhaps I’m a being a bit hypocritical…haha.

The last method of consumption I will talk about is good old fashioned edibles. A brownie, a cookie, cannabutter on a cracker, cannabis infused oil items, you name it, I LOVE it! When you consume marijuana by smoking it, it goes into your nervous system. The high is intense and comes on quick, but it dissipates faster than when it goes into your blood stream when you eat it. When you eat it, it takes a bit to kick in (45to60 minutes), but when it does, oh my…This can be a problem for some people. They eat two brownies and are totally wrecked, when the same people should have probably only had a buttered cracker. If you are smart, you will be careful.

However, if you think you want to be a hero, be my guest and try to ride the highest high you can get from marijuana. Be aware that not all edibles are created equal. Some cannabutter/cannabis oil is stronger than others, and until you eat it as an experiment, you won’t know how much is too much until its too late. For those of you out there in TWB land that are like me, and you’ve never met an edible you couldn’t handle, the absolute best way to consume marijuana (in my opinion) is to make it into frosting. One of my best friends uses my atomic-grade cannabutter to make her famous frosting, and I assure all readers, there is nothing like it on this planet. I know it’s exactly how I like it when other veterans complain that it’s too strong. Cookies generally take 1/3 to 1/2 of a cup of cannabutter to make a batch. The red box classic Betty Crocker brownies generally take 2/3 of a cup of cannabutter. My friend’s recipe calls for 2 full cups of cannabutter for enough frosting for 12 cupcakes. Now that’s power!

As I stated before, there really is no BEST way to consume marijuana for all consumers. There is only a best way for each individual consumer. Hopefully this article helped put some ideas into your head, and gave you an idea of what to try. I encourage everyone to try everything and see what’s best for them.

We all know Porsche for designing super fast, super expensive, super sexy cars but apparently they are now making bongs high end hookahs. This bad boy is dubbed, “Shisha.” They can’t really come out and call this a bong because obviously some people may not like it. Instead they make it sound like they are selling you one of their amazingly designed cars.

The extraordinary Porsche Design Shisha combines high-quality materials such as aluminium, stainless steel and glass with the timeless and unique design approach of the luxury brand. Puristic and stylish at the same time. The Porsche Design Shisha is made in Germany and stands at a height of 55 centimetres. It only shows a discreet branding on the aluminium top of the Shisha and comes with a long flexible tube made out of TecFlex material, which is also used for the classic Porsche Design TecFlex writing tools.

The Shisha stands almost 2 feet tall (55 cm), and is made of glass and aluminum. It also features a “long flexible tube” made from Porsche’s custom TecFlex material. This thing is all kinds of badass. I will do my best to follow up on this and make sure I can get one to review for you guys. I will also let you know where you can purchase. Keep an eye out and stay high.

As any smoker knows, sometimes times get hard. Sometimes you can’t afford to just buy unlimited dutches for your smoking needs. The prices for dutches are going up as it is so what is a daily smoker to do to get by?

Get creative and make your own bong. That’s what.

Making a homemade bong takes some level of craftmanship and the determination to smoke that only a regular toker could have. Check out some pics of the finest looking bongs that I could get pictures of.

Bet this one would be smooth.

Counterstrike in the background. Spent many a high night as a teenager playing that.

Bamboo is really strong wood.

Looks like they made this one in 8th grade science class.

Shout outs to my man Josh on this one. This is a gravity bong. It may not look like much but it hits hella hard.

What are the ice cubes for?

The bong looks great, the weed looks better though.

A system that doubles as a bong? It doesn’t get much better than that.

Stoners are some of my favorite people in the world. They are resourceful, innovative, and they come up with some of the wildest ideas around. There is something about being stoned that brings out the most creative sides of people. It also brings out the hungriest and (sometimes) laziest parts of people too. When you are stoned you just want to chill and eat something.

Before you read this list I will give my disclaimer, I don’t know for certain that everyone who invented the products are this list were stoners. This is just speculation but pretty undeniable speculation at that.

Here are 12 inventions that were almost certainly created by someone who was blazing.

George Foreman Grill – Anything that can cook up meat this quickly, easily, and thoroughly had to have been created by a stoner. We need as many assorted munchies as we can have in as short a time as possible.

Multiple disk CD changers – For when you need to hear that track and you just DON’T feel like moving anywhere to change the CD.

Remote controls – Maybe the most important invention for stoners ever for obvious reasons. If it wasn’t for this, you would probably never change your channel, ever.

Recliners – Being comfortable during high times is essential.

Microwave Ovens – This was made by stoners for stoners. Similarly to the George Foreman Grill, fast and easy food is always a good thing.

Vending Machines – More quick and easy food, especially if you do it like these guys do it.

Clips – Any kind of clip can be used for roaches. I don’t even know that they have any other use.

Caller ID – There is nothing worse than picking up the phone while your high and it is someone you DON’T want to talk to like someone who talks too much or your boss.

Silly Putty – You have to be high to come up with some shit like this.

Lighter Leash – Stoners lose lighters like nobodies business. This is the best way for you to offer someone your lighter and make sure you get it back.

iRobot – These automatic vacuum thing are perfect for when your high but someone knocks over the ashtray.

Key ringer – Stoners have the tendency of losing things frequently. Just hope that you are not the ass that is searching for his keys with the key thing that beeps to let you know where they are, and they are right in your other hand.

Two recent events have dimmed some of the glow of marijuana, the world’s most widely consumed illegal drug. The first event is a study showing possible adverse effects of chronic marijuana use, presented at the recent annual meeting of the Society for Nuclear Medicine (SNM) in San Antonio, Texas.

According to the scientists who conducted the study, chronic use of marijuana causes a decrease in some brain receptors that bind with THC, the psychoactive chemical in cannabis. Using a PET scan to capture images of the brain, the study leaders found that chronic consumption of marijuana can lead to a decreased number of cannabinoid CB1 receptors specifically. These receptors play roles in pleasure, appetite, pain tolerance and other psychological and physiological functions throughout the body. The extent to which this may cause mental or physical troubles remains to be determined.

Employing PET scan imaging, the researchers examined the brains of chronic marijuana users, and found that CB1 receptor activity was reduced by as much as 20 percent. Upon cessation of marijuana use, receptor activity returned to normal, suggesting no lasting adverse effects. The study involved injection of a radioactive isotope into the bodies of chronic marijuana users, and then observing cannabinoid CB1 receptor activity via the PET imaging, which takes a nuclear image of biological activity.

The decrease of CB1 activity is known as “downregulation.” And while no specific adverse effects of this occurrence in marijuana users has been identified by researchers, there is a presumption among them that the decrease is not good.

Yet the downregulation of CB1 receptor activity may hold promise for those who are overweight. In sharp contrast to the ominous undertones of the SNM research, a tantalizing study conducted in Europe and reported in the British medical journal Lancet in 2005, showed that downregulation of the CB1 receptor in obese people can lead to a leaner body type. In that study, suppression of CB1 activity in obese subjects resulted in reduced waist size, improved blood levels of HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides, and improved insulin activity and overall reduction of symptoms of metabolic syndrome. This study suggests that downregulation of CB1 activity, at least in obese people, may be a good thing. So can pot help overweight people to slim down? The jury is out on that one.

Against of all of this science chatter about the negative or positive implications of reduced CB1 activity, another force is at work that may trouble pot smokers. The Dutch cabinet is moving to restrict access to the famed marijuana café’s of the Netherlands, limiting patronage to Dutch citizens, and forbidding access to foreigners. The Dutch bureau of tourism estimates that approximately twenty percent of all travelers to the Netherlands take advantage of the “coffee shops” that sell marijuana. Tourism officials in Amsterdam are fighting the proposed change of access, decrying that such a move would damage tourism to that city.

So what are we to conclude from all the activity around marijuana? There is an adage that the difference between a medicine and a poison is the dose. It is possible that very high use of marijuana may result in negative changes in overall function of the central nervous system, though this needs to be further established. At the same time, we may possibly have in pot a weight control agent. This seems to contradict the increase in appetite that most marijuana users experience. Further investigation into this is unquestionably needed.

Vilified by opponents and championed by users, marijuana remains a highly disputed drug. Studies show that occasional or medical marijuana use is far less harmful than use of either tobacco or alcohol, both of which are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. At present, not one marijuana-related death has ever been reported. Medical applications of marijuana, for pain, appetite and glaucoma are increasingly well established. And information from the U.S. government itself shows likely benefits of marijuana for the treatment of degenerative disorders of the nervous system.

The landscape for marijuana use is fluid, highly charged, and changing rapidly. Medical marijuana laws, medical marijuana dispensaries, and various scientific studies are pushing this medicine into the medical foreground, despite hue and cry from opponents. As investigators continue to explore the complexity of this age-old remedy and its use, we will likely discover more benefits and hazards associated with this highly popular drug.

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide. His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Read more at www.MedicineHunter.com